


Love(less)

by femjester



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Bad Boy/Emo Keith, Bisexual Disaster Lance (Voltron), Bisexual Lance, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Gay Keith, Heartbreak, Hurt/Comfort, Insecure Lance (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Lesbian Pidge, Lotor Cheated, Lowkey kinduva playboy but not intentionally, M/M, Mutual Pining, Past Allura/Lotor (Voltron), Past Lance/Lotor (Voltron), Pidge goes by she/they, Platonic Allurance, Rating may go up we'll see, Slow Burn, Smitten Keith (Voltron), bisexual allura, keith is whipped, pretty boy lance, though lance is hesitant at first
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-13 00:42:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28644657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/femjester/pseuds/femjester
Summary: Lance always dreamt of falling in love. He just loved love, how could he not? Never in a million years did he think he'd come to be afraid of seeking it out after wanting it all his life, but after being cheated on and having his heart broken after falling in love for the first time, he doesn't think he could recover, or if he does, doesn't think it's worth risking again. After all, he's been told all his life he has a fragile heart and loves too much for his own good.Keith doesn't dream of love or wants anything to do with it, really. Life's much simpler when feelings aren't involved and has lived most of his life this way. He doesn't see himself changing his mind anytime soon, or does he?Although neither plan on seeking out romance anytime soon for completely different reasons (or are they really so different?) that doesn't mean romance can't seek them out first.
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 82





	1. Will I Be Known and Loved?

**Author's Note:**

> it's been years since i last wrote any fanfiction and i've been itching to write something, literally Anything these days. trying to get through a writer's block so why not try to bust out of it with some klance? i'm real rusty and out of practice but hopefully this'll get me back into the groove of things. anyways, hope you enjoy and happy new year!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> decided to make chapter names song lyrics of songs that i listened to while writing or inspired the chapter altogether :) song title is from Tame Impala - Borderline.

Lance had always been somewhat of a hopeless romantic. He’d always loved the concept of love, of being in love, of doting on someone and to pour his heart and his _everything_ into them. He adored the idea of building a relationship with someone, to help one another grow, to _nurture_ each other, to _live_ for one another. In his eyes, you could never go wrong with love.

How naive of him to think that, looking back.

Lance always wanted to be in love. It’s not as though he never tried, it’s that in the past it...never really worked out. He was too _loud,_ too _annoying_ and _obnoxious._ He was, in one way or another, _“too much”_ for people. 

_“I’d rather be too much for someone than not enough,”_ he drunkenly admitted to his best friend Hunk once after drinking away his sorrows one night. “ _At least being too much is better than being nothing at all.”_

At some point in time he had given up on finding “the one.” He was too tired of another rejection, a polite let-down, being ghosted. His mother once told him he had a heart of gold and that it weighed twice as much. That he loved too greatly, too intensely, too quickly, _too something._ Uneasy hearts weigh the most. 

It seemed to be a pattern in his life he realized. Lance was never the type to half-ass something. He went all in or didn’t go at all. If he put his mind to something then god dammit he was going to do it with everything he’s got! Some call him overbearing, but the ones who truly love and value him for who he is call him “an overly passionate being,” which he knew was the nice way of putting “This guy’s in over his head.”

So after sucking it up and moving on with his life, he had at some point down the line met Lotor. For once in his life, he wasn’t too much for someone. He wasn’t too little either, he’d been _enough_ for him. Lance, who was so utterly brokenhearted at the idea of never finding his true love, who had given up on the very notion of it because he felt he had no hope of finding it whatsoever due to his overbearing nature, had _found someone who liked him for him._ The way Lotor looked at him like he was his _everything,_ the way he’d let him ramble on without seeming annoyed or uninterested _…_ well, obviously he fell for him. And he fell _hard._ He’d be the first man he’d ever fall in love with and _the last._

As it turns out, not all happy endings stay happy endings. Lance knew this coming in. Every relationship had its ups and its downs, it had its banter here and there, I mean, what couple didn’t fight, right? It was normal. It was _fine,_ because they loved each other very much and they could get through anything if they worked things out! Right?

_Wrong._

What had once been a dream come true for many months on end came to a harsh halt when the arguments and fighting began. It started when Lotor visited him less, didn’t seem too interested in any of their talks or really seemed to care about anything at all anymore. It was as though he got _bored_ of him, like his novelty had finally worn off.

It stung. It hurt a lot, really. And what was the real icing on the cake was when he finally built up the courage to talk to Lotor about him feeling like they were drifting apart and how they could fix it, he had found the bastard in bed with another woman. 

And this is how Lance first met Allura. 

Oh, she was gorgeous. She was the sweetest person he’d ever had the pleasure of knowing besides Hunk and his first meeting with her was when she was half naked on top of Lotor after a sensual makeout. When he had caught them, he felt his world crumble beneath him and his heart shatter into billions of pieces. 

Lotor looked at him with his wide eyes filled with shock, an “ _I didn’t think you’d be home at this time,”_ weakly stuttered out of his mouth as Allura gazed at Lance with a half-embarrassed half-confused expression. The shock was too much for him to handle so, with what little dignity he had left, he closed the door and ran off before either could see him sobbing. 

One couldn’t live a life without heartbreak. He just didn’t imagine his first real one would come in the form of catching his boyfriend cheating on him. 

And everyone dealt with heartbreak differently. Some people keyed up the cars of their ex lovers in vengeance, others threw their clothing out the window and made sure the sprinklers were on so when they were picked up they were soggy and reeked of wet grass. Lance’s heartbreak looked like making shopping trips at 3am for some ice cream as he binged vet shows and crying over all the cute animals to distract from the heartache. 

What he hadn’t expected was bumping into Allura at said shopping trip, doing something similar herself.

There they were, both with puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks in their pajamas in the middle of the ice cream aisle, bumping into one another as they stared at each other wide-eyed. “You’re that man,” she started, pointing at him weakly. “Yeah...and you’re that woman.” They stared in silence for a bit before she cleared her throat and picked out some strawberry ice cream. 

“What he did was real shitty,” she huffed as she stacked a few more tubs onto each other grouchily. “Him and I had been dating for a few weeks. I had no idea he was such a sleazebag. And you! Look at you!”

Her anger made him wince a bit, worrying she’d start chewing him out but felt a wave of relief as she continued her complaining. “You’re _so_ beautiful! He didn’t deserve you. He didn’t deserve either of us,” she continued to rant, grabbing a tub of blueberry ice cream and shoving it towards Lance. He couldn’t help but to crack a smile and snort. “You’re damn right he doesn’t. Why are we crying over him anyways?!”

“Yeah! Why are we?”

“He doesn’t deserve our tears!”

“You’re damn right he doesn’t!”

As the two rambled about Lotor, they ended up buying a few more things together and continued to chat it up as they got in line to have their items scanned. As the time progressed, they realized they had a lot more in common than they originally thought and formed a beautiful friendship since that day. 

Befriending the person his ex-boyfriend cheated on him with wasn’t something he ever planned on doing in his lifetime, but when said person is as wonderful as Allura, it’s hard to pass that chance up. She was smart, friendly and made Lance feel at home. Over time, the two became best of friends and slept over each other's houses often and eventually even became roommates when Allura could no longer afford the rent at her old apartment.

“And you’re _sure_ it’s no bother at all?” She asked for the hundredth time as she held up several boxes of her belongings, hauling them up the flights of stairs with ease. Allura worked out at the gym a lot. Woman was _buff_ and could easily bench press him any day. Meanwhile, Lance’s scrawny self struggled lifting up two boxes, let alone drag them up several flights before finally letting out an exaggerated sigh as he set them down before his door. 

Trying to catch his breath, he simply waved his hand dismissively at her with a huff. “‘Lura, I’m tellin’ ya it’s no problem at all. Don’t even worry about rent. Besides at this point you already do live with me with how many times you crash.” She chuckled as she unlocked the door and eased her way inside, Lance on the other hand praying to the gods above to give him strength to continue lugging away her things inside. 

Moving wasn’t his favorite thing in the world, but rooming with someone always made him happy. Before Allura, Hunk was his roommate till he had met Shay and after several years of dating, eventually moved in with her. He would never admit it, but since then he’s been pretty lonely living by himself. At some point he figured he’d ask Lotor to move in with him but...well. 

With a loud gruff, he face-planted on the couch and exhaled in exhaustion. He heard his (now official) roommate’s giggles and her shuffling around as she got settled. Over the years, the two had created quite the tight-knit bond and were practically inseparable. The two always enjoyed gossiping about co-workers or cuddle together as they watched dramas. They were comfortable enough to where seeing each other naked was no big deal and sleeping in the same bed when either were too exhausted to get up was the norm.

While Allura was easily the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen and Lance was the prettiest man she’d ever seen she’d admit, both of them loved each other platonically. While he doubts if they dated it’d make things awkward or even not work out, they both silently knew they preferred just being best friends and nothing more. He was completely comfortable around her and so was she with him.

“So I was thinking about ordering Chinese tonight,” she spoke as she texted someone on her phone, poking Lance’s ass with her foot as she read her messages absentmindedly as she sat on the opposite sofa. “I doubt either of us wanna cook after moving all my stuff in. Especially you,” she poked his cheek again playfully. “You need to start working out, you twig.”

His retort was muffled by his face still being plastered against the couch cushion, earning a “What?” From the white-haired woman, amusement blossoming on her face as she made eye contact with an irritated Lance. “I’ll Have you know I am _not_ a twig. I’m a strong, healthy macho man!”

“Strong macho man, huh? Yeah, nothing says macho quite like smudged mascara,” she chuckled as she pulled out her compact mirror and showed it to Lance. He groaned in annoyance as he rubbed his eyes, forgetting he had on any in the first place. “Hey, I can be macho _and_ take pride in my appearance, okay? It’s called _duality.”_

“It’s called, _stop fucking stalling and tell me what you want me to order already.”_

  
  


-

  
  


After Allura moved in, life became so much brighter. Hunk had always made his day better too just by being around, the man was a walking ball of sunshine. Though when he moved out he took that sunshine with him only for it to be reintroduced into his life in the form of a sweet lady with a sharp tongue. 

Their routine was pretty standard. They got up together, had breakfast, had conversations before work and when they got back complained about their days and filled one another in on typical office gossip. They’d stay up watching shows together they’d rewatched a thousand times over and then turned in for the night. 

Usually, that was standard procedure. Till Allura tried encouraging Lance back into the dating scene.

“‘Lura, babe, I appreciate what you’re doing and all but-,” he began, immediately being shushed when her dark finger pressed against his lips with a stern grip. “I know, I know, you’re not ready, it’s too soon, I _know,_ ” she emphasized, knowing where he was going with this. The two sat in a comfortable silence for a bit as they drank their coffee at the cafe in the mall they decided to spend their afternoon at. 

It’d been two and a half years now since the Lotor incident. While Allura began dating around only a few months after being cheated on, Lance took it a lot harder than she did. They brought it up every now and again since it was pretty hard not to. When you get cheated on by the same guy it becomes a focal topic for a while, there’s no easy way to ignore such a big elephant in the room. 

She talked about how she wasn’t in love with him like Lance was and wasn’t dating him for as long. Allura, unlike Lance, got over heartbreak quite easily at least in comparison. A few days of ice cream and crying and she was ready to go back out there and take on the world. Lance, two and a half years later, still feels pretty heartbroken.

“I’m not asking you to date again,” she reassured, placing her finger back to her mug as she blew on her coffee. “But it would be nice if maybe you just kept an open mind?” It was more of a suggestion than anything. She knew him like the back of his hand. Asking for him to jump back into the dating pool when his heart was still healing would be cruel. It’d be a lie though if she said she didn’t wish he’d try to open up a bit more to the idea.

Among all the people who deserved romance, Allura would say Lance was the number one. Many nights where they’d both get drunk for fun to celebrate the weekend he’d go on his drunken rambles about his insecurities and fears of never being able to love again. Once he even admitted that if he could hardly stomach the heartbreak of being cheated on, how would he handle ones of when he’d lay his partner down in the ground for their eternal rest?

It was a hard-hitting question, one she wasn’t expecting to hear. She had begun to realize Lotor’s disloyalty began a ripple effect of sorts into Lance’s whole world beyond just his insecurities. It fed into his fears, his worries. What he hadn’t considered before were now things he fixated on with hesitance, the fear of the unknown terrifying him to new heights. 

_“I didn’t think it’d hurt so much,” he quietly sobbed into a pillow besides Allura. “I mean, there are so many worse forms of heartbreak out there. If I get this fucked up from this alone, how much worse can I get from others? It’s scary. I don’t think I want to try my luck.”_

_“That shouldn’t stop you from trying,” she’d insist. “I think love is worth the ache in the end. Afterall, love is an experience of its own worth feeling. The ache just happens to come with it sometimes but not always. You won’t know until you take that chance.”_

The Cuban sighed as he twiddled with his thumbs. He’d be turning twenty two this year. He was far too young to be thinking his love life couldn’t be saved and he knew he was being overdramatic. But his mother’s words rang in his ears every time he even thought about risking falling in love again. _“You’ve always loved passionately, mijo,”_ she’d say. “ _You’ve got a big heart. Maybe a little too big for you to carry.”_

“I’ll think about it,” he promised with a forced smile. His best friend didn’t buy it at all evident by her pouting in response but nodding in understanding nonetheless. He was grateful that Allura knew when not to push it and to just leave something be.


	2. Slow your roll, keep your head low

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Pidge try to find a perfect gift for Matt while they try to convince Keith to meet her friends. He's really not interested until suddenly he really is. Cue whipped Keith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> didn't proof read so apologies in advanced for any misspellings or grammatical errors. suddenly had a spike in inspiration so wrote it as quickly as i could lol. anyways, hope you enjoy ! and tysm for the sweet comments, bookmarks and kudos, they mean a lot to me :) <3 as a side note, Pidge is nonbinary and goes by she/they. doesn't mind or care being referred to as a girl or woman though, and if you check the tags she is a lesbian! decided to make chapter names song lyrics that i listened to while writing or inspired the chapter altogether :) chapter title inspired by the song Awkward by Dance Gavin Dance.

Pidge slurped on their slushy as they spun the remnants around, idly reading away at her phone as her friend continued complaining to her about one of his hook-ups. Half of what he was saying was being tuned out by the younger person, her occasionally sprinkling in a disinterested “mhmm, yeah,” here and there so he didn’t feel totally ignored.

This didn’t seem to work however since said friend was now glaring at them with a slight pout to the mouth which, for the record, would’ve looked cute on the average person. This, though? Kinda looked ridiculous coming from such an intimidating man. “What.” She asked flatly, adjusting her glasses as she glanced up from texting on her phone. 

“If you’re not interested in listening then why ask how I’m doing?” He huffed a bit annoyingly but there was no real malice behind it. “Keith, no offense, but when I asked how you were doing I didn’t mean to vomit out your unfortunate sexcapades.” They rolled their eyes as they smiled a bit at their group chat that was going wild over some old game Hunk managed to get his hands on, excited to show it off to Pidge and Lance during their Saturday game nights.

Tucking their phone back into her pocket, she gazed at the older man with a calculating gaze before loudly slurping the remaining bits of her slushy for the sake of obnoxiousness. “So basically,” she started, waving her hand around lazily as she explained. “This James guy is your latest on-and-off again hook-up who you made explicitly clear you wanted no feelings to be involved in, that is to say, keep it strictly sexual, and now the guy’s fallen for you, yeah?”

He rolled his eyes. “Yeah.”

“Dude, you could’ve just said that instead of going on a twenty minute rant about it.” Messing around with the slushy cup a bit to see if there was anything left, her shoulders slumped once they realized there was nothing. “Like, seriously, learn how to summarize my man,” she continued to complain as she stole one of Keith’s cookies earning a frown from him but ignoring her actions nonetheless. 

“So he has feelings, so what?” He responded with a disgruntled-looking face as though the question should’ve had an obvious answer. She shrugged nonchalantly, not thinking it was a silly thing to ask. 

“So it complicates things.” Running his fingers through his hair, he sighed as he drank a bit of his coffee, ignoring the fact all his cookies had magically disappeared by now. Keith wasn’t the sentimental type. He definitely wasn’t the feelings type either, he didn’t do _feelings._ Among all the years he knew Pidge, he would’ve thought by now this predicament would’ve been obvious. Feelings get uncomfortable. They get _messy._

“So break it off?” He snapped his gaze back at her, frowning when she was only making the suggestion absentmindedly as her attention was clearly towards her phone right now. They’d been smiling at it for a majority of the time they'd been hanging out and he was only mildly curious as to what she was up to or reading that caught her attention so much. Not really his business though and he didn’t really care so didn’t ask.

Instead, he thought for a moment. Weighed out his options. On one hand it’d be so much easier to just rip the bandaid off now than to deal with whatever drama would be accompanied by cutting off James later. The only reason why they even had this arrangement was because James himself told him that he wasn’t the type to get feelings either so there was no need to worry about that happening. 

But here they were. 

Yet, on the other hand, Keith found it particularly meticulous to go through the trouble of finding a new plaything especially if it ended up getting the same results. “It’s too much work,” he decided on saying, glancing at the other who had an unamused expression plastered on her face. “Whatever.” She sighed as she began playing a game on her phone, pouting when her phone lagged out and made her lose before she beat her high score.

Although it may not look at it by first glance, the two were pretty close friends. They’d met back in his early high school days thanks to the fact both their older siblings were best friends. Pidge was a few years younger than him so he thought he would be stuck babysitting or something but they’ve always been surprisingly mature for their age and extremely smart. Half the time Keith even forgot they were younger than him. 

He didn’t have a lot of people he trusted. There was Shiro, of course. But he was his brother so that was a given. His only real friends were her and Matt because he wasn’t really open to meeting new people. She had insisted on letting her introduce him to her friend group that she had made when she entered college but figured he had nothing in common with those nerds. 

“Okay look they’re not nerds,” she’d emphasized many times before. “Well, maybe a little but they’re cool. I feel like you’re expecting some snotty-nosed, braces-having, mouth-breathing, glasses-wearing nerds with superiority complexes that only talk in big words to make sure everyone around knows they’re _better than them_ but trust me, they’re not like that. They’re real nice people.” 

He’d only wave at them dismissively everytime she brought it up making sure she knew he wasn’t interested. 

Honestly, he was sure they were nice people. He knew Pidge long enough to know that she wasn’t too huge on befriending others either and if anyone managed they must’ve been a real cool person. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe her so much as that getting to know new people has always been exhausting and it’s twice as tiring going through the heartbreak of when they eventually _leave you._

“I probably don’t even have anything in common with them,” he’d retorted when they walked through the mall together after she had brought up again. After they’d finish their food they decided to stay for a while and roam around to see if they could find any bargains for last-minute presents since Matt’s birthday was coming up soon. 

Both of them were pretty hopeless when it came to the gifting department but they were optimistic that if they shopped together maybe they’d find something that wasn’t half-bad. _Maybe._

“Or you probably do. Who knows unless you try?” Leave it to Pidge to always have an answer for something. He couldn’t really refute that but decided to stay quiet, groaning when he spared her a glance and found she had a sly grin on her face as she silently basked in her tiny success of shutting him up. “All I’m saying is I’m meeting up with Hunk and Lance as I usually do on Saturday for our game nights. Sometimes we stay in and game, others we go out to arcades or something. You _sure_ you don’t wanna come?”  
  


“God, even their names sound geeky.” He stifled a laugh when she punched his arm that was no harder than a kitty swat. He smiled teasingly at them as he flicked their forehead earning a “Fuck you!” as they rubbed where he had hit them. “You don’t know your own power I swear. Not all of us can be buff like you.” 

“Start working out then,” he argued as he pushed a store door open after seeing a sign that said everything was half off. They playfully argued back and forth before going their separate ways trying to find a gift for Matt. 

The store was rather small and had several areas in which the paint was chipping with age. It seemed to cater towards popular bands and pop culture-esque themes but there was a tiny section in the back that was clearly made for those who were in the punk or emo scene which is where Keith found himself spending most his time at. Sure, they were here for Matt, but what’s a little gift to yourself now and again? 

Eventually Pidge caught up to him and looked through the shirts Keith had picked out along with the others that were on display. “Oh!” Picking up a small shirt that peaked their interest, the older man looking over in curiosity. “ _You_ listen to Rabbit Junk?” He asked in genuine surprise, feeling a bit of excitement in a way. “Huh? No, sorry. I know a few songs but that’s only because my college friend really likes them.” They tucked it away with a few other shirts she grabbed, realizing that most were bands Keith liked as well.

“Are you buying them for him?” She nodded in response before looking through the sizes and picking out smalls. “Yeah, I mean everything’s real low in price right now. It’d be dumb of me not to and I can always hide them away till his birthday.” He nodded in response and turned back to trying to find a present for Matt, making casual conversation as he did.

“It’s kinda surprising,” he admitted as he looked through the piercings they had on display, frowning when none of them tickled his fancy. She raised a brow in confusion to the sudden statement, signaling for him to continue. “The bands, I mean. Wasn’t expecting your friends to be into that sort of music.”

She grinned in his direction earning a confused glance from Keith. “Oh I’m sorry, it’s just that I kinda recall you telling me you’d have nothing in common with my nerd friends?” Confusion turned into a frown and an eye roll. “I’m still not gonna hang out with them but that doesn’t mean I can’t recognize good taste when I see it.” He earned a few more teasing replies before they went to the checkout and bought their things and left to go walk around some more.

-

Every now and again Pidge complained that their feet were hurting and begged the taller man to give her a piggyback ride before she lost all feeling in her legs. Every time he turned her down and insisted she needed the workout anyways she announced how she’d remember that next time he needed her for something, claiming that it was the cost for his betrayal. 

As minutes turned into hours the two felt more or less defeated in finding a present for Matthew’s birthday. Neither of them were good at picking gifts in the first place but it didn’t help that he was a hard man to shop for. Even Pidge, his own flesh and blood, was at a loss for what to get him. “Maybe we should just settle for a gift card or something,” he recommended as they sat at a bench for the uptenth time so that the younger woman could catch a break and ensure she didn’t have any blisters forming on her feet.

“That’s so _lame_ though.” They slumped in their seat with a pout before taking their phone out and typing away. “That’s it. I’m calling in for reinforcements.” Keith crossed his arms and lazily crooked his neck towards her, the leather of his jacket made a squeaky-like noise as he flexed that always made their face scrunch up in displeasure which was fun for him to mess with every now and again. “Reinforcements?”

  
  


“Yeah. We’re no fucking good at this but I know Lance is really good at picking out gifts.” 

“Ugh, don’t tell me he’s coming?”

“Man, can you at least try to be nice? Knowing Lance he’ll only need a few minutes to find the perfect one. Sure beats us wandering mindlessly for hours.”

  
  


He shrugged in indifference. “Whatever. Do what you gotta do. I’ll try and find a gift on my own in the meantime. Splitting up would make things faster. If you guys find one just shoot me a text and I’ll make my way back.” He got up before they could protest and began walking along gazing at the storefronts for anything interesting.

The mall they went to was pretty big. It had a downstairs level and an upstairs level, one they had explored quite thoroughly already. Digging into his pocket, he pulled out his phone and began absentmindedly checking his text messages as he rode down the escalator to begin his search for ‘the perfect gift’ since the upstairs no longer seemed to serve them.

Some were just a few bot messages, others were ones Shiro had sent to make sure he’d be coming home early tonight since he didn’t like when Keith would sneak in at ungodly hours of the night and give his older brother a heart attack that their home was being broken into. At this point he would’ve thought the older man would’ve been used to it but Shiro just claimed it was bad for his heart, that he was getting up there in age.

He was extremely dramatic.

A few of them were from Pidge who was currently spamming him “traitor” and “betrayal” over and over again until he decided to send a smiley face in response. As he walked off the escalator and continued to type, he immediately jolted when someone had smacked right into him, _hard,_ bumping them both onto the ground with a thud.

Irritatingly, he growled as shot a glare to a skateboard that began to roll past him before shooting it to his rider that was beginning to frantically apologize. “What’s your _fucking_ problem, dude?” It came out more as a sneer than anything, getting up to his feet and brushing himself off. “Can’t you watch where you’re fucking-” He paused when he looked up his death glare immediately dying when he made eye contact with the _prettiest blue eyes_ he had ever seen.

The person that had ran (or more so, skated) into him was an inch or two taller than him, sporting a baby blue long sleeve that showed off his brown, freckled shoulders and a dolphin necklace that hung on his neck. He wore some black skinny jeans and had a sweater wrapped around his thin waist, Keith now realizing the man while taller was a lot skinnier than he was. Keith was rather muscular ever since dedicating most of his time to training at the gym and though a bit on the shorter side, his intimidation mostly came from his build. 

The other man had soft-looking brown hair that curled at the ends, hugging at his cheeks that gave him a sweet-looking, almost innocent look. He had freckles splattered around his cheeks and realized now he had on some blue eyeliner that really made his eyes pop out along with a bit of mascara. Looking down, he noted he also had some lip gloss on that made his lips look _irresistible,_ but his appreciation was cut short when he realized said lips were set in a deep frown and appeared to be moving.

Oh, right. He was talking to him. 

Before he knew it, fingers were snapping in front of his face, successfully regaining his attention. “Hello? Earth to _mullet?_ ” He had his hands on his hips now looking entirely unamused. Keith blinked as he cleared his throat before squinting at the taller man. “Mullet?” 

“Yeah. Mullet.” He pointed at his hair for emphasis before crossing his arms. “I said I was sorry. No need to be a fucking grouch about it.” Normally he would’ve taken offense to the tone of voice this stranger was using towards him but he was honestly too distracted by how attractive he was to care. 

“Lance!” Both turned their head to Pidge’s voice breaking the tension between the two, the taller man breaking into a giant grin that showed off his perfectly straight and blindingly white teeth, waving enthusiastically at his shorter friend. Before Keith could say anything, the boy took off in his skateboard as he made his way towards Pidge who looked just as tired as she did before he took off. He was kind of grateful for that since it seemed the Latino didn’t catch onto how Keith choked on his saliva when he realized who he was. 

“Pidgeon!” He ran off his skateboard halfway, picking it up before running up to hug them. He lifted them for a second and twirled them around before setting them back down when they claimed they were dizzy. “Sorry,” he apologized sheepishly, sticking his tongue out as he shyly rubbed the back of his neck. “I haven’t seen you in a hot minute, got swooped with some last minute projects so haven’t been able to really visit anyone.”

Lance looked over his shoulder when he realized the larger man had followed him, almost accusing him of being a weird stalker till Pidge began introductions. “Keith, this is Lance. Lance, this is my broody friend, Keith.” He had internally hoped Lance didn’t notice the red creeping onto his cheeks, trying to stay as neutral as possible when they made eye contact. 

A devious smile pulled onto the Cuban’s face as his attention turned to the older man. “Ah, so this is the guy you always say calls me and Hunk nerds.” He teasingly stuck his tongue out to him before bowing down playfully. “The name’s Lance. Thank you for finally gracing me with your presence. It’s an honor to finally meet the infamous elusive Keith Kogane.” 

God he wanted to die.

What should have been an obnoxious and annoying introduction came off as, Keith hates to admit, _fucking charming_ in a weird way but only because Lance was so easy on the eyes. He cleared his throat before just waving a stiff hello to him, glaring at the storefront of a Macy’s to avert his gaze to literally anywhere else. 

“I’m surprised Allura’s not with you,” Pidge chimed in as she broke the silence. Lance sighed as he uncrossed his arms and let them dangle at his sides in disappointment. “She’s off to a date with some girl named Romelle. Totally blew off our plans for today to see her but, like, I can’t even blame her. She’s a real cutie.” Part of Keith listened in, the other was focusing on a hundred questions a minute, the one he really was interested in was the one asking if Lance liked guys at all. 

Pidge pouted a bit but otherwise averted her gaze. Lance smiled a bit before ruffling their hair. “Sorry Kiddo, ‘fraid you’re just a little too young to be on her radar.” She stammered a bit, adjusting her glasses before crossing her arms. “I didn’t say anything like that!”

“Oh, c’mon Pidgeon. It’s okay to admit you have a wittle cwush on Awura.”

“First of all, never talk to me like that again or I’ll break your fingers, and two, I do not!” She twiddled her fingers a bit before placing her hands on her hips, closing her eyes as she did with a mildly irritated expression. “I just, you know. Can appreciate a pretty lady when I see one.”

“Pidge, your lesbian is showing,” he teased as he earned a few playful jabs to the arm, screaming an “ow!” to a particularly rough one. Watching the two interact peaked Keith’s interest. He wasn’t sure what exactly he was expecting when he met Lance, if he ever did, and now that he has... _Fuck. He’s kinda really cute._ Of course appearances aside, he seemed to be really casual and easy to get along with, at least for Pidge. He flowed through conversations smoothly and naturally, something Keith couldn’t even begin to comprehend. 

Lance began to noisily look through her bag, gasping when he pulled out the Rabbit Junk shirt and looked over at Pidge who simply nodded. “For _moi_ ?! Oh you shouldn’t have!” Keith’s mouth was open agape at the exchange, not expecting _Lance_ to have been the one to listen to the band. From appearances alone, he looked like the type who only ever played pop songs and wouldn’t go anywhere near anything heavier. 

_“How the fuck did he suddenly get more attractive,”_ Keith thought to himself irritably, crossing his arms as he focused on the mall map this time. 

“Anyways,” started Pidge as she looked over at Keith who’s been deathly silent ever since meeting her friend. She shot him a shit-eating grin before wrapping her arm around Lance, maintaining eye contact with him as she did. “Lance and I are gonna go shop for a gift for Matt. As _you_ said, we’ll be going our separate ways now.”

“Wait, but--”

“Sorry, can’t talk, gotta go gift shopping! Bye!” 

Before he could say anything else, the two ran off leaving Keith in the dust. It wasn’t so much as them both running as much as it was Pidge sprinting as fast as she could and dragging Lance behind. What a bitch! He knew exactly what she was doing and bit down an irritated growl. He turned around and huffed a bit before going to explore some more until he heard a “It was really nice to meet ya, mullet!” 

He looked over to see Lance had shot him a smile before waving goodbye, continuing to run after Pidge who got too ahead of herself and almost tripped. 

“Goddamn it!” He rubbed his head harshly before succumbing to his impulses (nothing new, really) and began running after them. “Hey! Fuck, wait up!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading !! much appreciated. hope you enjoyed :)


	3. If you let it shine, you can free your mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio really hit it off and manage to convince Keith to hang out with them on their Saturday game nights. Pidge is a protective friend and Allura loves to tease.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> quick update, woohoo ! hope you guys enjoy. it's a bit longer than usual, hope you like. i changed the tags around a bit and added some new ones as I decided on a direction to go in with the story. i've also updated the summary, not much has changed as much as it is just stuff i've added. kudos and comments always appreciated and thank you all so much for your kind words ! means a lot to me <3 chapter title is inspired by the song Sober by Childish Gambino. as a side note, not all chapter titles/songs will be relevant to the story , sometimes its just the music i was listening to while writing! but other times they'll have to do with the fic itself :p

It came as a surprise to the older man that Lance was actually really enjoyable to be around. He was sure he would’ve been made fun of by him after he had run to catch up to them both but had only earned a kind chuckle as Lance waited up for him. 

At times, he could be a bit too loud or expressive than what he’d be used to being around, but was pleasantly surprised to find he didn’t mind at all, even when it gained them a few stares here and there. And it wasn’t to say he could look past this only because he simply _goes dumb_ around pretty boys, no, not at all. Maybe some part of it was, but for the most part it was because he found his energetic personality actually _endearing._

Pidge turned out to be right (not that they were ever wrong) when she said it’d only take a few minutes tops for Lance to work his magic and find the perfect gift for Matt. They ended up settling on a limited edition Star Wars movie collection they’d snatched up at an FYE sale, the latino beaming in pride for finding a present he was satisfied in giving. Keith had originally wanted to go home immediately after finishing his errands today but now could only find himself pouting that he had only been able to be in his presence for at around ten minutes max. 

It struck Keith that in ten minutes alone he already had such an impression on him.

Not wanting the day to end so shortly, he worked up the courage to clear his throat, gaining the attention of his two shopping companions. “Um, so Pidge tells me you’re good at gifts,” he lamely begins, immediately wanting to slap himself in the face. He’d been silent the entire time being too nervous to really say anything and _that’s_ all he could come up with? He wasn’t on his A game at all today. 

The taller man only snorted, a curt little noise that shouldn’t have been as cute as it was. “Well,” he held up the shopping bag that held Matt’s gift in. “I don’t mean to _brag,” He totally does, Keith thought to himself._ “But I _am_ pretty amazing when it comes to shopping _and_ I’m a people person. So, yeah, I’d like to think I am.”

“Well, since you’re here, mind helping me find a gift for my older brother?” For the sake of trying his best to look casual, he shrugged with his hands in his pocket as he gazed at Lance, trying to drink in his look before they inevitably part ways in the next few minutes. Pidge stuttered, pulling out her phone calendar before shoving it in his face and pointing at the date. “What do you _mean?_ Shiro’s birthday-”

“ _Is pretty soon, I know!”_ He shot a glare towards the shorter person, noting the scowl on their face as they grumpily stuffed their phone back into their pocket. He pleaded for them to go along with it by the looks of his eyes alone, wanting to smile when she simply mouthed a begrudged _fine._ “Sure, I don’t have anything else to do today.” He snapped his gaze back onto Lance who looked… kinda _shy?_

He noticed how he was playing with his hands a bit nervously, making a mental note that he was an easy person to read. He would’ve been worried he had made him uncomfortable had it not been for the soft small smile that curled on his lips and man, _it was doing things to him._

He walked over to stand besides Keith, hands on his hips as he confidently began walking alongside him and keeping up with his pace. The close proximity made the shorter man’s heart beat a bit faster, feeling silly on how reactive the pretty boy made him. “Older brother, huh? He got a name?” 

“His name’s Shiro.”

“Tell me more about him.”

“He’s a fifty year old man stuck in the body of a twenty eight year old,” he started as he rubbed his head, trying to think of another way to describe him. “Kind of obsessed with sci-fi and used to major in aerospace engineering. Really likes cats, loves dogs.” 

“Mm,” he simply replied, seemingly deep in thought. “Might have to give me more than that to work with, mullet. I’d probably have a better grasp at his personality if I met with the guy then went from there…” 

“You could come over sometime.” It surprised the both of them how quickly that came out, even earning a chuckle from Pidge. They never seen Keith be so talkative before to a _stranger_ , someone _he just met_ and already invited them over. Lance just smiled at him, playfully bumping his shoulder against his which felt damn near _electrifying_ for the shorter man.

“I’ll think about it.” 

-

At some point they decided to hunker down at a restaurant to eat dinner at. Somehow their entire afternoon was spent at the mall before they decided since it was already evening they might as well grab a bite together. Lance enthusiastically recommended a pizza joint he knew was close by and Keith couldn’t find it in him to deny the offer when he looked so damn excited about it. 

That’s how they ended up here, slices of pizza in their hands as they enthusiastically raved about a band they mutually enjoyed, debating on their best album. Pidge glanced between the two as they argued in good nature with one another, the shorter woman lost as they knew nothing of what they spoke of.

She simply listened in and observed, a smile creeping onto her face as she studied Keith. He seemed so relaxed and _excited._ He was very enthusiastically talking about how one of the bands Lance brought up was a hit or miss for him so he ended up compiling a Spotify playlist for him to recommend to him some songs he thought he’d probably like by them. 

“Here, I finished the playlist. Gimme your number so I can send you the link?” He let out a laugh watching Keith pat himself down quickly as he scrambled to find his phone damn near dropping it in the process from how fast he was. Handing it over to Lance, he started putting in his contact info before snapping a quick selfie to use as his contact image.

He held up a peace sign as he winked into the camera, sticking his tongue out playfully. He put in his contact name as “Lancey Lance” with a blue heart emoji for funsies before handing it back. He probably should’ve asked permission first before taking the photo but the other man didn’t seem to mind. Keith texted him a quick _hey_ so that Lance could save his contact on his phone, successfully sending the link.

“There’s no pressure if you don’t like the songs by the way. I can name a few artists I think you’d like based on what you told me you like.” The punk nodded in response, too distracted at looking at the selfie he took on his phone trying his best not to smile at it. He definitely was keeping this. 

When more of the food they ordered came in, Pidge laid their head against their palm as they looked over at Lance who sat alone on the opposite side of the booth. “So Allura tells me you went on your first date in a while about a week ago.” Neither had expected him to respond by nearly spitting out his drink, successfully choking on it as he cleared his throat in an attempt to play it off.

His cheeks dusted red in almost an instant, averting his gaze to anywhere else as he silently drank his soda. After a few moments, he dared looking up, immediately regretting his decision. 

Pidge wore a sly smile on her face in a knowing manner, Keith looked...he wasn’t sure. He constantly looked disinterested or neutral about most things as he came to conclude, but the little twinkle in his eye gave away maybe a slight interest in the topic, probably curiosity. Eventually he sighed as he crossed his arms with a pout. “Alright, what did she tell you?”

They shrugged innocently. “Didn’t give me the details. Just said it was some guy named Rolo.” Both were startled when Keith began choking this time, him insisting he was fine and it was that it went down the wrong pipe. Lance shifted his gaze back to Pidge who looked at him calculatingly as though she were analyzing him. They probably _were_ , probably to make sure he wasn’t lying or skipping over any juicy details. 

“It was just something casual,” he admitted, sinking into his seat with a pout. “He was okay and all but not really my type. Blew up my phone after our date but I’m really not all that interested in a second one.”

“Why not?” He turned his attention towards the buff man, only now noticing how fucking _swole_ he was. He could easily snap him in half he decided as he entertained the idea of being bench pressed by this pretty boy. But he digresses.

“I, uh...not ready to go back into the dating scene. I guess.”

“Why’d you go on this one then?”

“Allura set it up,” he sighed as he set his face on the table in defeat. “You know I can’t say no to her, Pidgeon.” He played with a straw wrapper to distract himself from all the questions, not really knowing how to feel about them.

Rolo was a nice guy. He couldn’t really name any flaws from the top of his head, there wasn’t anything he could complain about. But there was no _spark_ , no real indicator of attraction, at least the type Lance was looking for. “Besides I’m pretty sure he was just interested in a hook-up. You know I’m not into those.”

The young woman smiled sympathetically before reaching out to pet his head in comfort. “I know.” 

Keith took in the new information cautiously. He didn’t realize he’d be so interested in knowing more about Lance’s personal life, let alone his romantic one. He was especially happy to find out Lance did in fact also like men, keeping that in mind for future reference just in case. It was a shame he didn’t do hook-ups, something much more his own speed, but somehow the thought of Lance _only_ being a hook-up made him feel unpleasant. Borderline upset even. He briefly wondered why but paid no mind to it for the remainder of their evening.

Lance and Pidge began to complain to one another about a professor they both shared and his habits that annoyed the both of them equally. They debated about some movie they watched the previous week together with Hunk and what they truly thought about the film, apparently not having the heart to be completely honest with their disinterest in it at the time because Hunk had thoroughly enjoyed it. They critiqued it rather harshly but ended up deciding it was, overall, just an ok movie. The way the two jumped from topic to topic so easily threw Keith off for a moment as he had a hard time keeping up.

The Cuban had apparently caught onto this as he slowed down his pace, trying to make the conversation relevant to Keith in worry he felt left out. Of course he noticed this and something about the subtle gesture warmed his heart. A part of him felt a bit of guilt in taking so long to agree to meeting Pidge’s friends when Lance seemed like a total sweetheart. By association, he could tell Hunk likely was too. 

This was nice. It felt like just a casual outing with friends instead of third-wheeling like he was afraid this would turn out to be like. The man found he was enjoying himself more than he’d want to admit knowing that later on he’d have a very smug short friend drown him in _I told you so’s._ Right now though he couldn’t care less about that. He was having too much fun to really care about much else right now aside from Lance’s laugh and smile.

Keith didn’t do _feelings_ . Really, he didn’t and he probably wasn’t going to start now. _Probably. Hopefully._ He decided for tonight and tonight _only_ he’d indulge a bit but not take it too far. There was no reason for him to be so infatuated with this literal ball of sunshine but…

“We should do this again sometime.” Keith snapped out of his thoughts when he realized Lance was speaking to him, a polite smile on his face. He had been so caught up with everything else that he hadn’t realized how late it was and the faces of the waiters patiently waiting for them to finish up as they were the last to leave before closing time. “Yeah sure, I’d be down.”

“Really?” Pidge’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, a giant smile plastering on their face as they excitedly shook in their seat. “Because I know the perfect time and place for us to hang out...Saturday game nights!” Lance seemed to really like that idea because he had instantly perked up, a twinkle of excitement blossoming in his eyes. “Yeah! Then you’ll be able to meet Hunk. Biggest sweetheart you’ll ever meet, literally the embodiment of a teddy bear.” 

Keith was realizing he had a hard time saying no when it came to Lance. 

-

“Now I don’t want to say I told you so _but…”_ The groan that her older friend had let out echoed around the apartment she had invited herself into, successfully stirring up a sleeping Shiro that had found himself napping on the couch. “Pidge, not another word.” He hung up his jacket on the coat hanger by the door, closing it behind him with a gentle kick. “And next time? Maybe mention when your nerd friends are _really_ fucking hot. Shit caught me off guard.” She snorted in response before kicking her shoes off.

Shiro had begun to sit up with a yawn, stretching himself out as he rubbed his eyes. “Welcome back, what time is it?” Pidge looked at their wrist before replying with a, “Almost nine forty-five,” before hopping onto the couch beside Keith’s older brother and taking the liberty of snagging their remote control and flipping through the channels. “I think your baby brother’s in love. Love at first sight if I’ve ever seen it.” They shot a teasing smirk in the direction of said baby brother who was glaring daggers at them.

Confused, Shiro quirked up a brow in a questioning manner before snapping his gaze between the two. There was some unknown tension between them, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on due to the lack of context. Since it didn’t seem anyone was going to say anything he decided to break the silence.

“Okay, I’ll bite. What are they talking about?”

“It’s nothing. They’re just being dramatic.”

“ _Me? I’m_ the dramatic one? Oh that’s rich,” she chuckled as she settled on a random sitcom. “Rich coming from the guy who was practically drooling over _Lance_.” 

The name sounded vaguely familiar, a shimmer of realization glistening in the elder brother’s eyes. “That’s one of your college friends right?” They only nodded in response as they laughed at some poorly-written joke a man had said on the TV. “Keith, is that true?” He shook his head far too quickly to be seen as either casual or natural, coming off more in denial than anything. 

“Of course not! Sure, _yeah,_ he’s pretty. I’ll give him that. But she’s over exaggerating by saying it's _love._ _Lust_ , maybe.” He rolled his eyes as he kicked his own shoes off, marching to the kitchen to grab himself a beer since he could already tell it was gonna be one of _those_ nights. He felt two pairs of eyes follow him despite his best attempts at ignoring them. Eventually, he ran out of patience and snapped, nearly growling out a “ _What?!”_ Before the two whistled casually as they focused on the sitcom together.

Pidge lowered the volume when the show went on a commercial break, trying to pick her words very carefully as she did. “If it’s a lust thing I’d pack that up and shut it down right now. Lance isn’t that kind of person. Not to say that it’s bad to be that kind of individual but it definitely isn’t up his alley.” He recalled earlier in Lance mentioning he didn’t do hook-ups, taking a swig of his drink at the memory. 

“If you’re looking to be friends though, that can be arranged.” She hooked her arm across the couch and turned her gaze to face him, face serious. “I think he could use more friends and clearly so do you. But I’m warning you, Keith. If you so much play with his heart-”

“Who said I was gonna do that?” He felt a bit offended by the accusation, biting his inner cheek when Pidge challenged his gaze with an angrier one. “You literally have a reputation of doing that be it intentional or not. Remember James? Or have you already forgotten about our talk from earlier?” 

His shoulders tensed before they relaxed again defeatedly. He knew where they were going with this.

“I told you to break it off and you hesitated because, as per usual, if it isn’t about _us,”_ she pointed at herself and Shiro. “Or yourself, _you don’t care._ Feelings haven’t been something you take into consideration a lot of the time and Lance is a very emotional person. Do what you want in your private life, it’s not my business. But don’t drag Lance into that, dude’s been through enough heartbreak.” Shiro just cleared his throat as he felt the atmosphere thicken a bit, excusing himself as he made his way to the bathroom, likely not wanting to give the two some privacy for the time being.

He knew she meant well and was only being protective of her friend, but _fuck_ if that didn’t kinda hurt to know that’s how Pidge saw him. Was he really that much of an asshole? Looking back, she did have a point. 

He had a reputation. Granted, not one he wanted or was proud of, but a reputation nonetheless. Asides from being notorious for being both impulsive and hot-headed, some kind of knew him as, regrettably, a playboy. 

Keith was, objectively, pretty attractive, or so he’s been told. If it wasn’t something he was told it was _definitely_ something he was shown if all the flirting and one night stands he had under his belt had anything to say about it. James was definitely not the first person to catch feelings for him when their relationship was meant to be strictly sexual and, he’d admit, sometimes the people he casually slept with had wanted more from him than they had led on leading up to inevitable heartbreak when he broke the news to them that he just wasn’t interested in anything more.

He hadn’t really considered the feelings he hurt or hearts he had broken because he valued the truth beyond anything. And sometimes the truth hurt. It wasn’t _his_ fault they weren’t told what they wanted to hear, but sure, maybe he could’ve been nicer about it. She knew Keith was a good guy, a good friend. But had they _not_ known him and his past he could definitely understand how they’d think he was just a classic asshole who went around taking what he wanted and then leaving once he got it.

He could totally see how Lance could see him like that if he ever found out about his flings. Something about that idea rubbed him the wrong way. Since when did he care what people besides Shiro, Matt and Pidge thought?

There were times when he was close. Close to falling for someone, close to being official, close to having _something_ more beyond just sex but never quite there because he’d always _leave_ before it got too hot. _Leave before they leave you_ , is what he always justified his actions with. Because of this though, a lot of people have labeled him a playboy of sorts. A _“commitment-phobe”_ , if you would. 

It wasn’t intentional. He hadn’t meant to hurt anyone or break people’s hearts. He made it explicitly clear to anyone he had ever messed around with that romance isn't his forte and if that's what they wanted to find it someplace else _because_ he wanted to avoid the hurt. Most heed his warning, others thought they could be the one to “change him,” and some, like James, just ended up catching feelings when they thought they really could keep things simple.

Things were hardly ever that simple. 

Feelings weren’t ever simple. Sex was, at least to Keith.

He poured himself some juice after finishing his beer, figuring it’d be best to stay sober tonight with all these lingering thoughts getting the best of him. The last thing he needed was an alcohol-induced breakdown he could’ve avoided had he been wiser. His abandonment issues weren't something he enjoyed dwelling on for too long. “I won’t do that to him. I wouldn’t.” The young woman turned her attention back to him, several minutes having passed since her last remark. Her gaze softened and she shut down the television, turning around completely to face him. “I heard what he said back at the restaurant. I know he doesn’t do hook-ups, I wasn’t planning to. I wouldn’t disrespect him like that.” 

It was too soon for him to say he cared about Lance but he did definitely respect him. Thought he was cool and a good-hearted person, even. It was true that normally he didn’t care for how others felt, being too busy protecting himself to. There were the obvious exceptions, most in the room already, but for the most part Pidge was right. He wasn’t the most considerate of people and could be downright selfish at times.

“I’m sorry if that came out harsher than I meant it to be.” The apology was sincere and it was rare to see Pidge so serious. “It’s just that Lance is a _really_ sweet guy with a huge heart. You can be kinda flirtatious when you wanna be and I don’t want you leading him on or something that can ruin the chance of you two becoming friends. Finding him cute is cool and all but I’d prefer if you didn’t, I dunno, put the moves on him.”

“You don’t do feelings and that’s alright. But he’s _all_ about them and I don’t want to see him get hurt.”

He could only nod in response before finishing up his drink and telling them both a goodnight once Shiro had returned, thinking its best to sleep while his mind was still rather quiet. As he walked off into his room, he slid his shirt and pants off before plopping onto his bed face-first. He laid there only in his boxers for a good while before dozing off, his friend’s warning echoing in his mind before eventually falling asleep.

-

By the time Keith and Pidge had dropped him off back home it was already well past his usual skincare time which would inevitably eat into his beauty sleep as he tried to maintain his schedule. He rubbed his finger tips in gentle circular motions as he ensured all his makeup was washed off. His pores would definitely never forgive him if he didn’t rinse thoroughly, and for extra precaution decided to wash twice.

Grabbing a soft pink towel, he dabbed it against his skin and looked at himself in the mirror. The dark circles that he had so carefully hidden behind thin concealer demanded his attention and he pouted at the reflection. 

Truthfully speaking, the date with Rolo ended on a pretty terrible note. He had spared Allura from the details for the sake of not wanting to worry her but she knew something was off when she found him tossing and turning in his sleep more often than not. When Pidge had brought it up it had caught him off guard and he tried playing it off as best he could.

He really was a nice guy and they got along fine. It was a super casual outing and he found his personality to be pleasant and enjoyable company even if his heart wasn’t too in it in the first place. But when it came down to the talking...well, he wasn’t sure why he was so surprised.

It ended how most of his dates in the past ended. Rolo at some point seemed overwhelmed with how much Lance spoke and couldn’t seem to keep up with his thoughts. He blabbered on and on about things he enjoyed and found himself rather disappointed when the energy he had put forth wasn’t reciprocated. It wasn’t anything new, really it wasn’t. At least he was kind enough to pretend to listen or care which was more than most would have done, but it still didn’t change the fact it was disingenuous at the end of the day.

It was a harsh reminder that over the years _nothing_ had changed. He was still _too much,_ even when he had thought he mellowed out after all this time. 

He had done a great job snuffing out that insecurity over the past two years. He grew more confident in the idea that when the right person came along he would be just enough for them. It didn’t hinder his thoughts as often as it once did and that was progress worth being proud of.

And all of it seemingly crumbled over one lousy date. The reminder that he had almost completely forgotten over time was once again plaguing his mind. He lost sleep over it, felt insecure about it and felt it eat at him slowly. He didn’t want to change his personality but felt at times if he wanted to ever feel loved again that he should try to at least tone it down. To be excited a little less. To be hyper less. To _love_ a little less. To be more...palatable. 

He had been lost in thought just staring at his reflection for a while that he startled himself a bit when his mind had wandered off to Pidge’s friend, Keith. The time they spent together was probably the most fun he had in a while with someone new and was surprised to find that he even had an engaging conversation with him.

His first impression of the man was how intimidating he seemed at first. He wasn’t intimidated but he sure could see how most people were. It was hard for him to though when he laid eyes on his mullet, such an outdated haircut seeming more like a fashion disaster than anything yet he somehow pulled it off. Not that he’d admit that though. He wasn’t significantly shorter than him but just enough to where Lance could pride himself in their height difference. He had gorgeous violet eyes that were kinda easy to get lost into, reminding him much of space and galaxies.

He’ll admit, he was cute. Really attractive. Pretty hot. All good things.

But personality-wise he couldn’t see them really clicking. They were too much of polar opposites from what he gathered at first. Keith was introverted, temperamental and kinda looked like the type who had a record. Lance was an extroverted goody-two shoes who thrived in attention and was the epitome of a social butterfly. By the end of their hang out though, Lance was a bit excited at the idea of meeting him again.

Unlike Rolo, Keith seemed to genuinely care about what Lance was saying. Something told him he was the type to walk off mid-conversation if he really didn’t want to hear what the other was saying yet he didn’t. Instead, he seemed invested even when it was about a topic he knew nothing of, even asking questions to keep the conversation going. Eventually, both became quite excited when it was a topic of mutual interest, something he hadn’t quite experienced before outside Allura or Pidge. 

It was nice. Really nice. Especially after feeling like he was too much for people, he felt a small sense of solace in the idea there are still others out there who he can be himself around without feeling overbearing. His cheeks pinkened a bit, him clearing his throat as he opened the medicine cabinet and began dabbing moisturizer on his face, embarrassed that he was thinking so much about the other man. 

So some guy he thinks is hot gets along with him well. So what? He wasn’t going to throw himself towards the first person who made him feel nice and he wasn’t sure if dating was really a good idea right now. He let out a sigh as he closed the cabinet and walked towards the couch, deciding it best to wait up for Allura. Either she was coming home late because her date went really well or it went to absolute shit. 

-

While he waited around for his best friend to come home, he decided to send Hunk a few texts about how they got Matt a gift and to not sweat it, that Pidge promised to mention it was from all of them. Having been too busy with work, college and maintaining his relationship with Shay, Hunk was having less and less free time and felt guilty when Matt’s birthday had slipped his mind. He was reassured several times by both Pidge and Lance that it was fine and no big deal but the softie insisted he’d at least bake him a birthday cake, neither complaining since Hunk did make the best pastries.

As he chatted away with Hunk, he perked up when he heard the jangling of keys and the front door unlocking, Allura sighing loudly as she came in, a loud _thud_ being heard as she lazily threw her purse _literally anywhere_ from how tired she was. 

Bad date it was, then. 

Getting up from his seat, he waltzed over to the fridge and pulled out a tub of strawberry ice cream, Allura’s favorite, with a spoon and some chocolate syrup before returning to the couch. He held it up and shook it slightly to gain her attention, a small smile creeping on her face that eventually blossomed into pure delight. She hopped next to the couch with him, unlacing her shoelaces as she began rambling.

“Thank God we still have some. It’s one of those nights where I think I can eat the whole thing,” she started as she grabbed the tub and sprayed the chocolate syrup _directly onto it._

“Yeesh, must’ve been real bad for you to not even grab a bowl…” She frowned a bit as she realized it probably would’ve been wiser to, shrugging when she decided she didn’t really care. “Definitely was the worst date ever. Romelle was very sweet but apparently wasn’t out to her family yet. Understandable, but it made things _really_ awkward when her family coincidentally bumped into us while we were having dinner together.

Lance’s eyes widened, clearly invested in the dramatic story she was about to tell. “We were just eating, having a good time, talking about work and our interests and all that one normally does on a date when out of nowhere, her parents showed up and somehow invited themselves into our dinner. Romelle works as a secretary for some big-shot CEO and also takes care of the finances for the company. I got roped into pretending I was some real estate agent at a work-related dinner conference as she pretended to be interested in leasing a new building because the company was interested in expanding!”

While it sounded miserable he couldn’t help but laugh. The image of a flustered Allura trying her best to sound as convincing as possible as a real estate agent in front of two likely homophobic parents was too funny to him _not_ to laugh at. She continued to explain that when she tried shooing them away because it was a _“business-only”_ dinner that Romelle’s father was apparently _outraged_ that Romelle contacted Allura instead of him because he was also a real estate agent and would’ve been happy to help out. 

Somehow that turned into a heated argument between father and daughter, the mother only drinking away happily with bottle after bottle of wine as she drank the stress her husband was giving her away. By the end of the date, their food had gone cold, Romelle was in tears from both embarrassment and being overwhelmed, and Allura had to pay for an extremely expensive bill because her mother had ordered five entire bottles of their best wine and drank _all of it._

When the two were finally alone, Romelle had apologized profusely to Allura and figured it’d be best if this was their first and last date, at least until she had the courage to come out. The night had made things very awkward between the two and likely there was a bit of family tension that needed to be resolved as a result too. They had agreed that as things were now things would probably not work out but decided being just friends was a better alternative. 

“I hope you had a better night than I did,” she commented, pouting when she realized she finished her ice cream by the end of her story. “Babe, I think half the state had a better night than you did,” he joked, earning a glare from the woman and a jab to the ribs. He squeaked in both surprise and pain as he rubbed at the area to soothe it. “Too soon?”

“You _think?”_

To console Allura after her disaster of a date, the two decided to watch the movie Hunk had made him and Pidge watch last week because he wanted to hear her opinion on it. Halfway through she had to admit it was rather boring and convoluted but could see how it appealed to Hunk at least aesthetically. “I think he was in love with the concept and less so the execution,” she analyzed, eating away at some popcorn Lance had made.

“Exactly what I was thinking! Great concept, poor execution.”

They nodded in agreement with one another, continuing to watch regardless of its quality. There were a few times when a joke or two landed and they both chuckled, but for the most part their attention to it was on and off. Allura turned her head when she felt something buzz at her foot, peeking over to see it was Lance’s phone lighting up. Curiously, she picked it up and read the text that had been sent to him since Lance never really cared if she read his stuff or not.

“Who’s Keith?” She had asked suddenly and Lance’s eyes widened a bit in surprise. She looked over at him curiously, not sure of what to make of his reaction. “Pidge texted,” she decided to clarify. “She said that she’s glad you and him got along and that you two seemed to really hit it off. What’d I miss today?”

He snuggled up to his blankets some more and hid his face behind them. He felt his cheeks warm up considerably as he found himself embarrassed at the thought that he got excited in thinking he messaged him. Suddenly he felt like some teenager who was pining over some hotshot, waiting for them to return his calls and give him any sliver of attention. He wasn’t sure where this was coming from, all he knew was that it was unwelcomed.

Poking at his leg through the blanket, she called his name repeatedly until she decided to just tug off the blanket entirely. He groaned as her face sparkled in a mixture of excitement and hopefulness, averting his gaze as he didn’t trust himself right now to not somehow give away what he was feeling. “He’s just Pidge’s friend I got introduced to today, alright?”

“Oh, I’m sure it’s a _little_ more than that,” she teased as she leaned in closer, one brow shooting up suggestively as she seemed pleased with herself when Lance pouted shyly when she poked at his blushing cheeks as if to prove a point. She knew that all she needed to do was stare for a bit before Lance broke. “Okay, fine! He was a really hot guy who I got along with real well but that’s _all,_ okay?! It’s not a crush, it’s not _anything you’re thinking of,_ I know that face, Allura! I mean, I just met him! I just, y’know, can appreciate a nice looking man when I see one! Is that so wrong?”

“Lance, your bisexual is showing.”

_“Oh, shut the fuck up Allura!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading ! hope you're all having a happy new year.


	4. Tell me something that I don't know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saturday comes by meaning it's game night. Keith ends up showing up and the gang comes together to have a fun night out. Shenanigans ensue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a bit of a shorter chapter but i hope you all enjoy! as per usual i didn't proof read and have no beta so alas, apologies in advanced for any mispellings or grammatical errors

The young man wasn’t sure how he managed to survive an entire week of Allura’s constant teasing but he _managed._ It started subtly, the woman only alluding that his chipper attitude had in some way had to do with Keith without outwardly saying so. It came in discrete forms of playful nudging and knowing glares and the occasional teasing smirk; nothing that he hadn’t gone through before and couldn’t handle. Then she took a more direct approach, outwardly pointing out that his excitement for this weekend came in the form of a broody older man with a wicked mullet he would _not_ shut up about.

“I never pegged you as someone with a vendetta for old hairstyles,” she brought up one day as she sipped her homemade smoothie. Both had a day off from their work and decided to spend it together rather than separately for some much needed _Allurance Bonding Time_ as the Latino liked to call it. He groaned as he jumped over the couch and half his body landed on hers with a light thud, the older woman sticking her tongue out at him for invading her personal space. Neither minded.

He took a large sip of his own smoothie, a blueberry one that he could argue was much more superior than her strawberry one. “Listen, you haven’t seen it. It is my personal belief that it is by far one of the most offending hairstyles I’ve had the displeasure of seeing…” as he trailed off, he glared at the sly smirk that grew on her face as he continued to drink at his smoothie, chewing the straw in annoyance. “...and yet, stupidly enough, I find the ugly thing endearing.” The admission was one he had made numerous times before in the week alone yet his roommate never tired of them. In fact, she always would burst out laughing, endlessly entertained by her best friend’s antics. 

There was no use in denying that _yes, unfortunately_ he did find himself more excited than usual for this Saturday’s game night with his friends because of Keith. So what? Sue him! 

“To be fucking fair,” he started, pulling out his straw and pointing it accusingly at the white-haired woman. “I am a social butterfly. Crowds are my element; the more the merrier. Why wouldn’t I be excited that someone else is joining us? Which reminds me, are you coming this time around? Poor Pidge wouldn’t stop brooding last you missed out.” He probably should’ve held his tongue at that last part, the gremlin would surely kill him if she found out he mentioned that. _“I’ll take my chances, actually,”_ he thought.

Allura sighed as she ruffled her hair before tying it up in a bun. The bun was slightly crooked and laid heavily on the side, her curls a wild mess today and was in no mood to attempt to tame it. “I don’t know,” she admitted as she changed the channel, scrunching her face when a commercial for Chick-fil-a came up. The food never tasted good and finding out they were a homophobic company had just been the cherry on top. “I _should_ be studying for upcoming exams but...ah, fuck it. Alright, I’ll go.” 

Lance all but cheered before he stopped mid-fist pump, eyeing the young woman suspiciously. “Wait...if you’re coming you’ve got to _swear_ you won’t say or do anything weird to Keith.” She batted her eyelashes at him innocently as she slurped up her drink, pouting afterwards. “Why, whatever do you mean? Have you no faith in me, dearest Lance? You wound me, you really do.”

“Oh, cut the shit, princess.” She laughed at his flat tone, crossing her arms behind her head as she relaxed into the couch. “I will make no such promises. Do you need a wingwoman? I would be more than happy to oblige.”

“Alluuuuuura,” he drew out, eyebrows knit in half worry, half annoyance. “Listen, I’ve told you this before it isn’t a crush and I’m not interested in dating right now. And while he hasn’t said it, I just get the vibe the dude isn’t all interested in dating, if you know what I mean.” A huff escaped her mouth along with a frown before turning her gaze back towards the television. “You’re no fun but alright. I won’t say or do anything, we’re all just hanging out like we normally do. No drama.”

“No drama.”

-

There was drama. 

Of course, not in the way that Lance was worried about, thank God. Their drama came in the form of Hunk freaking out that he was going to fail his class because he forgot to turn in an assignment worth sixty percent of his grade online like he was supposed to. It was unlike the big fellow to forget something so important but insisted that it had only slipped his mind because he had a dozen other things on his plate that took priority. So, unlike their usual Saturday, instead of kicking it off with games they began it with helping Hunk come up with an excuse for why he had to turn his assignment late and if his professor could forgive him.

Pidge and Lance both debated between two excuses; one, that one of his family members died and in his moment of grief was unable to finish the assignment on time and turn it in and two, he had been sent to the hospital for emergency surgery on his heart that had suddenly failed. Hunk had insisted that the second would be too ridiculous because he’d be _fine_ by Monday and had no scar to prove the surgery’s existence. Pidge insisted that Lance was never good at lying so wasn’t sure why his was even considered which ended up with the two arguing about the believable nature of his lying skills. 

Allura, not wanting to get involved in the crises, had been playing away at Pidge’s playstation as she drove around chaotically in Grand Theft Auto. It entertained her for the better part of an hour and a half, enough time for the trio to bullshit an assignment to turn in that wasn’t half bad all things considered. As soon as they finished they sent it off along with the excuse that it had been turned in so late because Hunk’s grandmother had passed away during the week, crossing their fingers that his professor wasn’t so cruel as to dismiss that as not good enough of a reason to have skipped out.

The fate of Hunk’s grade was yet to be determined and likely wouldn’t for a while when there was a knock at the door. Pidge had instantly shot up to get it, Lance getting quickly nervous when he had heard Keith’s voice erupt in the room. He was lecturing the younger woman on why she should _never_ try to tickle him like that again but it seemed their shorter friend paid no mind to his warning, shrugging it off with a dismissive wave of their hand.

“Allura, this is Keith. Keith, Allura.” The two shook hands while she remained cross-legged on the couch, pausing the game to take a better look at him. As Pidge introduced the two, Lance focused his gaze someplace else before the woman could send him a teasing glare, something he didn’t mind in the privacy of their home but was somewhat of an annoyance outside closed doors. He didn’t really feel like being embarrassed tonight so took his chances when he walked over to the kitchen for a glass of water.

Upon his return, Keith seemed to be waiting for him— _was that a hopeful assumption for him to make?_ —, waving a shy hello to him with a small smile. It shouldn’t have affected the slightly taller man as much as it did but here they fucking were. “Hey, it’s nice to see you could make it.” He grinned from ear to ear unapologetically; he’d surely hear it from Allura later but man, he was too happy that he actually showed to care. 

He shot back a half-smile in return, confidence emanating from such a small gesture. “Yeah, I thought I might as _well_ see how Pidge’s other nerd friends were like, since the first time was such a nice surprise.” Lance tried not to smile so stupidly at that comment, instead opting for feigning an offended gasp as he playfully smacked the shorter man’s shoulders. “Me? A _nerd?_ Why, I’d never.” Ignoring the warmth of his cheeks when the teasing elicited a guttural chuckle from Keith, he switched his attention over to Pidge and Allura who’d made themselves comfortable on the couch as they switched over to Mario Kart.

“Is everyone here?” Asked Hunk as he returned from the other room, likely to conversate with his professor in private about his late entry. Spotting the unfamiliar face, Hunk strode over with a warm smile on his face as he extended a large hand towards Keith. “Oh, hey man. Glad to see you could make it. Name’s Hunk, nice to meet you.” Keith returned the gesture with a small smile of his own and curt handshake, nodding in emphasis. “Keith. Nice to meet you too. Thanks for having me, I know, uh, this is usually just something the three of you do.”

“Don’t be shy, you get used to being a party crasher,” teased Allura who looked over her shoulder to look at Keith. While true Allura normally didn’t come to these nearly as often as the trio had, none had considered her a crasher _per say_ , but it was definitely an unusual sight. One that all three of them appreciated and encouraged to happen more often. He chuckled at that, making his way to sit on the arm of the couch. Quietly, he asked them all a question a bit shyly. “I, uh. Normally don’t come to stuff like this. What do you guys usually do…?”

“No worries. We usually just play a bunch of games— video games, usually, but we do have some card and board ones if you prefer—and order food while we binge away. We do it all night or at least till most of us pass out. If we’re feeling antsy and don’t want to stay indoors though, we hit up an arcade or go to the movies,” Hunk explained as he snatched the controller from Pidge, the gremlin pawing up to grab what had been stolen from them as they whined. “Sometimes if we have enough people and we stay inside, we split up into teams and see who gets the most points. Since this is your first time and we want you to be comfortable, what do you wanna do?”

The question seemed to make the older man a bit nervous if the biting of his lower lip was any giveaway. He hated to admit that they looked soft and plush, a pout finding its way to the brown boy’s face. “I don’t mind going to an arcade,” he decided before turning his gaze towards everyone else. “I mean, this place is nice and all, I don’t have an issue at _all_ just staying here, I've been to Pidge’s plenty of times. It’s just...I don’t know, it seems nice to go outside at night?” The way the shorter man stammered his words nervously was _stupidly_ cute and Lance had half a mind to smack himself silly right then and there for thinking such.

“Could we go to an arcade for a bit and then come back to play some more?” The others seemed to really like the idea, nodding in agreement or excitedly jumping around at the prospect (in other words, only Lance.) Luckily his excitement seemed to entertain rather than annoy the older man as he shrugged on his jacket and opened the door for everyone to move out. The tanned boy _very much_ noticed when the shorter man had casually placed his palm on his lower back to usher him out a bit quicker, the gesture gentle and calming. 

He wouldn’t read into it. Yeah, Keith hadn’t done that to _anyone_ else but him but _no._ It meant nothing and both of them knew that.

While the gang assembled outside, the topic of who’s ride they’d take became their main concern. Keith raised a gloved hand to explain it _definitely_ couldn’t be him; he rode here on a motorcycle which was _totally_ unfair and did nothing to help the butterflies that began to form in Lance’s stupid tummy. 

“Can’t be our car,” Allura commented as she glanced towards her roommate. “Blue still needs her a/c repaired and _someone here_ hasn’t gone and done that.” Blue was the name of Lance’s car that he had gotten freshman year from his mom. It was a hand-me-down but she was still a beaut and rode well. He rolled his eyes as he laid his hands on his hips, shooting a deadly stare towards his best friend.

“And _I’ve_ asked if you could take her to the shop for me because I’m busy _all the time._ So really, who’s fault is this?” The two began to bicker like an old married couple for a minute or two, neither of their remarks harboring any true malice or annoyance. Eventually, the taller man conceded and just looked between Hunk and Pidge as they came to the silent conclusion that they were the only options left.

“Pidge drives like a fucking maniac so let’s go with Hunk.” Tossing his keys towards his other best friend, Lance ran into the backseat of his car and quickly locked it before Pidge could catch him. They smacked their palms against the window as they glared, pounding against it as they complained. “I am a _perfect fucking driver_ , excuse you!” Huffing, she turned on her heels and crossed her arms as she sat besides Hunk in the passenger seat as she glared out the window.

Besides him came up Allura and on the other, Keith. He realized at that moment what a bad idea this was; he was sandwiched between his _not crush_ and best friend who had a reputation in the past week for continuously teasing him about his _not crush._ “Ah, fuck.” He cursed at himself quietly just barely above a whisper but apparently the two besides him had heard.

On his right was a confused Keith that looked over and asked if he’s alright, Lance replying with a nervous laugh and insisting he was fine. His hands began to feel clammy as he tucked them away into the pockets of his hoodie and felt his cheeks warm considerably as he felt Allura’s knowing stare on him. He prayed to the gods above that he’d be spared for tonight as he sighed and slumped in his seat.

Hunk was a careful driver. Everyone felt safe knowing he was at the wheel and because of how relaxed he was knowing this, Lance indulged by letting his eyes rest for a bit since it’d be some time before they got to the arcade. 

On a particularly harsh turn, the three in the back slid extremely close to one another, Lance squishing completely against Keith’s side and Allura on his other. His eyes had shot open and his face felt entirely flushed as he dared to look up at the older man. His amethyst eyes were looking out the window but his eyebrows were tense as he stared at the passing trees. His pale complexion did little to hide the red blotches on his cheek and the Latino nearly felt his heart beat out his chest when their eyes locked.

“You okay?” He had asked, likely referring to the harsh turn. His voice was soft and concerned, something he hadn’t expected to come from the punk’s mouth. He could only dumbly nod which earned a light-hearted chuckle from the shorter man as he nodded. “That’s good. If you’re tired you should rest. I don’t mind if you want to stay where you are now.”

That seemed like an odd remark to make till Lance realized his head had at some point relaxed against his shoulder, the two having no space between them at all. The realization made his ears warm tremenously and there was _no fucking way_ the older boy _didn’t_ notice. Of course he did and his fears were confirmed the second he shot a teasing smirk his way, violet-bluish eyes sparkling with good-natured mischief. “Shut _up,”_ Lance pouted as he hid his face with his hood. 

Keith only laughed.

-

When they arrived, Pidge stretched out their short limbs as they yawned loudly, having just woken up from their short nap. Hunk did much the same before closing the car door and locking it once everyone was out. Keith held the door open for Lance which the taller man teased him for, claiming as it turns out chivalry is _not_ dead, earning an affectionate eye-roll from the shorter man as he slammed the door shut.

Allura made conversation with their youngest friend, complimenting their Link hoodie as her shorter companion blushed a bit with a shy thanks. The sight elicited a muffled laugh from Lance which they _of course_ heard, instantly shutting up before her icy stare could catch him. He hummed innocently as Keith nudged him slightly, sticking his tongue out teasingly as they both giggled at the interaction.

The shorter man seemed awfully playful tonight, unable to think of what to make of it. _Was_ this flirting or was he just having thoughts of grandeur? 

Deciding it unimportant and that he should just enjoy their night out, Lance tugged the sleeve of Keith’s jacket so that they could catch up with the rest of their group that had gone on ahead. Jogging to keep up, the two entered the double doors of the arcade that split into a bowling alley. It was a rather popular spot, the busy lines at the concession stands making that evident enough. Music was booming in the background and crowds of high schoolers and adults cluttered the various areas of the establishment.

He looked over to see Keith shift uncomfortably, asking to make sure if he was alright. “Just not used to crowded areas,” he spoke a bit loudly so that the other could hear him over the chatter and music. He nodded in response before shouting back. “Understandable! No worries, we can just go to a quieter corner?” Mullet shook his head. “No, I’m fine. Let’s just go catch up with the others.” Leaving no room for debate, Keith went on ahead but not before gently grabbing onto Lance’s wrist to guide him through the packs of bodies.

It felt strange to see swarms of people part like the red sea at Keith’s mercy; he knew the man had a rather intimidating aura to him but wouldn’t have imagined it so potent that other people seemed to scurry away at their entrance. It was confusing but also somewhat refreshing, Lance never having been one to enjoy being sandwiched in between strangers as he slipped his way through to make it to the other side. Being around Keith made traversing the technicolored grounds much easier to his pleasant surprise.

At some point, their fingers had laced together, likely to make walking through easier and to not separate. The Latino did his best to ignore how smooth his cold skin felt and how nice of a contrast it was against his warm mocha hand. His eyes searched around to find any familiar faces, pointing towards the farthest arcade so that Keith knew where they were going. He nodded, making their way towards it but ensuring he wasn’t going too fast for Lance to keep up. It surprised him that for such a short man (even if not by much) he was much quicker on his feet than he had expected.

“There you two are!” Allura exclaimed, already holding an impressive bundle of tickets in her grip. This earned an exaggerated gasp from her roommate, letting go of Keith’s hand absentmindedly as he examined the stubs. Oddly enough, he could’ve sworn he caught a slight glare being shot to Keith by Pidge but was sure it was nothing. “We were gone for like, five minutes! How the hell did you get so many?” He turned over to Hunk who waved at him sheepishly. “Sorry, we kinda started without you. Allura got lucky and hit the jackpot.” He pointed towards the jackpot machine, the current reward number being at two hundred and fifty.

His jaw hung slack as he stared in skepticism, Allura raising a hand to her face as she laughed like an early eighties anime villain. “You snooze you lose, baby boy!” His cheeks puffed up as he dug into his pocket for his wallet, striding over to the coin machines to convert his money into tokens. In the meantime, the youngest member of their group decided to walk over to Keith who’s gaze only followed Lance’s as he went to convert his change.

Noticing her sudden appearance, he raised a thick brow expectedly as though waiting to hear what they wanted from him. “Don’t look at me like that,” she started, arms crossing as her hoodie sleeves scrunched up. “Remember what you promised me earlier this week, Keith.” He pouted like a toddler, uncrossing his arms as he stood up straight. “What do you mean? I haven’t been flirting with him.”

  
  


“You’re a terrible liar and you know it. Both you and Lance can’t lie to save your skins.”

“Well, I didn’t mean to! Kinda just, I dunno, happened?”

“We’ve been through this!”

  
  


Their bickering caught the attention of the oldest woman, Allura walking over to make sure everything was okay. Her eyes flickered between the two, not knowing what the tension between them was about. Eventually, Keith huffed and walked away, claiming he was going to look for the men’s room. When he was no longer in sight, Allura looked down at Pidge who was keeping their eyes on their friend like a hawk until he went inside the bathrooms.

“What happened?” Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, Allura walked over closer to Pidge in hopes she’d fess up. Adjusting her glasses, Pidge stepped back a bit when she had strode over a bit too closely for their liking, a pink dusting their pale cheeks slightly. They cursed internally for being so easily flustered by pretty girls. “Nothing, it’s just that I warned Keith about something a while ago and he isn’t keeping himself in check.”

Not knowing what that was supposed to mean, she pressed on. Pidge seemed to shift uncomfortably before waving Allura over to a private booth where the two could have more privacy. Meanwhile, Hunk and Lance had found a DDR machine not too far from where they were seated, watching the two go at it as they competed for the highest score. 

“I just think Keith’s been flirting with Lance is all,” she started, unable to know how else to begin the topic besides being blunt about it. “Is that a bad thing?” Not knowing the answer quite herself, Pidge only shrugged in response as she swirled the soda she ordered earlier around, refusing to make eye contact with her taller friend. “I don’t know, kinda? Keith’s...how do I put this. He isn’t a _feelings_ kind of guy, you know? And Lance is. Ever since what happened between him and Lotor I feel he’s been in a lot more of a fragile state. I don’t want Keith making things worse by his indecisiveness and his tendency to high tail it when things start to get serious.”

She hadn’t meant for it to sound like she had no faith in her friend or that Keith was somehow a terrible guy. He really wasn’t, but he wasn’t all too responsible when it came to his emotions either. Commitment issues were something he had to work through and if it remained unsolved, things could only get messy if he somehow involved himself with Lance. 

Allura craned her neck to the side, taking the information carefully as she got lost in thought. “Yes, I could see how that’s a problem…” she admitted as she glanced over at her roommate who was jumping around in glee after defeating Hunk. “But, they’re adults, you know? I have faith that whatever happens they can handle it themselves. They don’t need us to be their baby sitters.” The shorter woman could only sigh as they nodded. “I know but...ah, fuck it. I guess it isn’t really my business. What happens happens but I’d prefer if we didn’t try our luck and find out, yeah?”

Allura could agree with that. 

She’d witness firsthand how terribly Lance took his breakup with Lotor. Of course , it was much less a breakup and more _‘I caught you cheating and now I will never speak to you again’_ , but a breakup nonetheless. While she understood how one could see Lance as fragile, she knew that he was a lot stronger than he let on or credited himself for. Lance loved being doted on and being in the center of all attention but absolutely _hated_ it when others worried over him or got overly concerned. 

Maybe what he needed was a little less guidance from others and a little more faith in his abilities. Allura regretted to admit there had been a time or two she had underestimated her best friend, refusing to make the same mistake twice. Even if things _did_ become messy between the two, she was confident that he would rise above it and handle it well on his own. If anything, he always had her and the rest of his friends to help him along the way.

At some point in their conversation, Keith had returned but kept his distance this time around. He scrolled through his phone as he leaned against the wall, the pair of women staring in his general direction. “That dumbass,” the shorter girl sneered as she gulped down the remnants of her sprite. “I told him not to _flirt,_ not that he had to brood in the corner like some emo high schooler.” Rolling their eyes, they were about to go lecture the young adult before Lance strode over excitedly to his side.

The two watched the exchange from afar, a smile creeping onto Allura’s face as Lance grabbed Keith and shoved him towards the DDR machine. Neither could make out their conversation amidst the music and chatter though it looked as if Lance was begging him to dance and Keith insisted he couldn’t. This didn’t faze the taller man however, inserting a few coins for them both before they both started dancing.

The Latino’s moves were much more calculated and accurate having played thousands of times over. Keith, on the other hand, had two left feet and clumsily tried his best to catch up, the amount of misses on screen seeming rather humiliating. The other man didn’t seem to mind though, only laughing as he danced along with him, the two seated watching in awe. “Okay, I’ve known Keith for a fucking while now and I have _never_ seen him dance.” 

“I haven’t seen Lance have this much fun in a while either,” commented Allura as she watched from their booth. She giggled as she pulled out her phone and snapped a few photos of the two, recording their dancing as well. “We may as well savor the moment, no?” Pidge only chuckled in agreement, pulling out her own phone to do the same.

Looking at them now, the youngest friend decided that maybe they didn’t need any monitoring or looking out afterall. They knew that Lance was a very capable person and that Keith wasn’t awful or had bad intentions. They thought that, maybe, if just for tonight, they’d let this all slide and hope for the best that nothing goes wrong between the two. Seeing as they are now, they really do seem like they’d make a cute couple which both _disgusted_ Pidge but made them happy as well. 

Quickly tucking their phones away when the pair had begun to walk towards them, Lance slid into the booth besides Allura and Keith with Pidge. The two had worked up a bit of a sweat and Keith was blushing like a damn idiot out of embarrassment. “Keithy here is a natural,” he teased, stealing some of Allura’s soda much to her displeasure. He choked a bit when she’d gently smack his head in a scolding, Keith biting his lip to stifle a laugh of his own. 

“Shut the fuck up, Lance. I bet I can beat your ass in any other game here.”

“Is that a challenge? Let’s go then, mullet!”

“You’re on, pretty boy.”

Before the two left, Keith took a swig of Pidge’s drink only to find it was already empty. He frowned at her smug smile before throwing the straw wrapper at her face, running after Lance after Pidge shot out of her seat to chase him down in vengeance. Allura stayed alone for a bit to watch the cat-and-mouse chase before settling on finding Hunk and playing a few shooters with him. 

Tonight seemed to be going very well and the young woman sincerely hoped it stayed that way. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading !! comments and kudos always appreciated, they always make my night <3

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading and hope you enjoyed :) happy new year and stay safe everyone <3 !


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